I've played about 40hrs of ARA so far. I haven't gotten past Act 1 yet, as I keep learning things and trying different leaders. I definitely like the general feel of the game. As far as early builds, I think your statements about farms on the city center applies to workshop. City center region is too important for anything but those improvements that get boosted. With that I think a scout then spearman is a better starting build. You need so many things in the beginning - Workshop, Grain (Farm), Settler, Dwelling, more units for hunting and gathering and exploring. You really need that second region to start building your improvements, unless you start with the dwelling, which does give you a production boost. I think the production boosts on items at crafting buildings, such as feasts at greater hearths, are actually straight production increases. That is mostly a technicality as the goal is to reduce the production turns or to get multiple items per turn. I think they could improve the hunting mechanic. You fight a tiger which needs three hunts to kill. Send 3 spearman as one formation and each one causes one hunt to be knocked down. I look forward to further episodes. Keep up the good work.
I agree, the biggest issue I have with my workshop start is taking up the spot for a city-center building. You can always demolish and replace it when needed... I do think the hunting needs some tweaking. A battalion of troops should not take as long to finish a hunt, nor take as much damage. I am thoroughly enjoying Ara, and I am very much looking forward to seeing how this series progresses and how much we can learn!
I've played about 40hrs of ARA so far. I haven't gotten past Act 1 yet, as I keep learning things and trying different leaders. I definitely like the general feel of the game.
As far as early builds, I think your statements about farms on the city center applies to workshop. City center region is too important for anything but those improvements that get boosted. With that I think a scout then spearman is a better starting build. You need so many things in the beginning - Workshop, Grain (Farm), Settler, Dwelling, more units for hunting and gathering and exploring. You really need that second region to start building your improvements, unless you start with the dwelling, which does give you a production boost.
I think the production boosts on items at crafting buildings, such as feasts at greater hearths, are actually straight production increases. That is mostly a technicality as the goal is to reduce the production turns or to get multiple items per turn.
I think they could improve the hunting mechanic. You fight a tiger which needs three hunts to kill. Send 3 spearman as one formation and each one causes one hunt to be knocked down.
I look forward to further episodes. Keep up the good work.
I agree, the biggest issue I have with my workshop start is taking up the spot for a city-center building. You can always demolish and replace it when needed... I do think the hunting needs some tweaking. A battalion of troops should not take as long to finish a hunt, nor take as much damage. I am thoroughly enjoying Ara, and I am very much looking forward to seeing how this series progresses and how much we can learn!
This seems like a nice game!
I am very much enjoying it!